Sink straining assembly

ABSTRACT

A sink straining assembly includes a strainer disposed in a drain outlet of a trough and having multiple through holes defined in the strainer. A stopper is selectively inserted into the strainer for closing the strainer and storing water in the trough. The stopper has a disk formed with a periphery abutting against an inner periphery of the strainer. A plurality of partitions is integrally disposed under a lower part of the disk for abutting the bottom of the strainer. A through hole is defined in the disk and a pulling bar extends through the through hole for selectively closing the through hole. The pulling bar has an enlarged head for selectively closing the through hole. A stub vertically extends from the enlarged head through the through hole in the disk. A spring is compressively sleeved on the stub after the stub extending through the through hole in the disk.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a sink straining assembly, and more particularly to a sink straining assembly that can be closed for storing water in a trough and easily release the pressure from the storing water before draining.

2. Description of Related Art

Water is necessary for cleaning things, such as vegetables, fruits, tableware. Consequently, a trough is disposed in an archive for operating. However, some broken bits or kitchen waste may block the draining hole of the trough. As a result, a sink strainer and a stopper are provided for straining the broken bits or kitchen waste during draining and stopping the trough for storing water.

A conventional strainer assembly in accordance with the prior art disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,601,242 comprises a strainer and a stopper for selectively blocking the strainer. The strainer has a series of through holes defined therein for allowing the water flow therethrough and straining the broken bits and kitchen waste. For positioning the stopper, the strainer has three ridges upwardly extending from a periphery of the bottom of the strainer and the stopper has three extending legs downward extending therefrom. The ridges and the extending legs complementally correspond to each other for forming a complete structure for closing the bottom of the strainer and holding the stopper in place. The stopper has a diametrical protrusion upwardly extending therefrom for user to easily detach the stopper from the bottom of the strainer.

However, the conventional mated sink strainer and stopper has several disadvantages as follow.

1. The ridges and the extending legs complementally correspond to each other such that the stopper must be rotated to make the extending legs complementally align with the ridges before assembling. It is inconvenient.

2. The stopper has three extending legs extending from the periphery thereof such as the central portion of the stopper is suspended midair. As a result, the distal edge of the stopper may be upward warped when the trough is filled with water such that the seal effect is reduced.

3. The user only can use the protrusion to detach the stopper from the strainer. However, the pressure from the water is great when the trough is filled with water. It is difficult to detaching by only pinching the protrusion.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantages of the conventional sink strainer and the stopper thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the present invention is to provide an improved sink straining assembly that is easily and conveniently operated.

To achieve the objective, the sink straining assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a strainer adapted to be disposed in a drain outlet of a trough and having multiple through holes defined in a bottom of the strainer. An annular rib horizontally and inwardly extends from an inner periphery of the strainer. A stopper is selectively inserted into the strainer for closing the strainer and storing water in the trough. The stopper has a disk formed with a periphery abutting against an inner periphery of the strainer. A plurality of partitions is integrally disposed under a lower part of the disk for abutting the bottom of the strainer. The at least three partitions are radially arranged relative to the disk. A through hole is centrally defined in the disk and a pulling bar extends through the through hole in the disk for selectively closing the through hole in the disk. The pulling bar has an enlarged head formed with a flat for selectively closing the through hole in the disk. A stub centrally downward extends from the enlarged head through the through hole in the in the disk. A spring is compressively sleeved on the stub after the stub extending through the through hole in the disk such that the pulling bar normally closing the through hole in the disk when the pulling bar is in a free condition.

The radial partitions of the straining assembly in accordance with the present invention support the disk for balancing the pressure on the disk to prevent the disk from being transformed and provide a good sealant effect between the stopper and the strainer. In addition, the user can previously pull the pulling bar up for releasing the water pressure in the stopper before draining the water in the trough. Consequently, the user only needs to contend with the resistance from the water in the trough without contending with the water pressure.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a sink straining assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the sink straining assembly in FIG. 1 for showing the rib and the annular flange of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the sink straining assembly in FIG. 1 fir showing the pull bar of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a first operational view of the sink straining assembly in accordance with the present invention when releasing the pressure from the storing water before draining; and

FIG. 5 is a second operational view of the sink straining assembly in accordance with the present invention when the stopper is detached from the strainer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a sink straining assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a strainer 10 disposed in a drain outlet of a trough and a stopper 20 selectively inserted into the strainer 10 for closing the strainer 10 and storing water in the trough.

The strainer 10 has multiple through holes 11 defined in a bottom thereof such that the strainer can strain the broken bits or kitchen waste during the water flowing through the through holes 11 when the stopper 20 is detached from the strainer 10. The strainer 10 is cylindrical and slightly tapered relative to the bottom thereof. The strainer 10 has an annular rib 12 horizontally and inwardly extending from an inner periphery of the strainer for enhancing the connection to the stopper 20 when the stopper 20 is mounted to the strainer 10.

The stopper 20 has a disk 21 and an annular flange 22 horizontally and outwardly extending from the disk 21. The annular flange 22 is flexible and has a thickness smaller than that of the disk 21. The annular flange 22 abuts against the inner periphery of the strainer 10 and is engaged the upper edge of the annular rib 12 for providing an airtight effect between the stopper 20 and the strainer 10 when the stopper 20 is mounted to the strainer 10.

With reference to FIG. 3, a cylinder 23 downward and centrally extending from a lower part of disk 21. The cylinder 23 has at least one passage 231 defined therein and communicating with the through holes 11 in the bottom of the strainer 10. The stopper 20 has at least three partitions 24 outwardly and radially extending from the cylinder 23 and connected to the lower part of the disk 21. The cylinder 23 and the partitions 24 abut against the bottom of the strainer 10 for equally supporting the disk 21 when the stopper 20 mounted to the strainer 10.

The disk 21 has a through hole 25 centrally defined therein and multiple concentric annular grooves 26 defined in a top face of the disk 21 relative to the through hole 25 in the disk 21. A pulling bar 27 is centrally movably mounted to the disk 21 for selectively closing the through hole 25 in the disk 21. The pulling bar 27 includes an enlarged head 271 formed on an upper end thereof. The enlarged head 271 has a diameter greater than that of all the concentric annular grooves 26 and a flat 272 formed thereon for abutting the top face of the disk 21 for closing the through hole 25. The concentric annular grooves 26 are provided to enhance the airtight effect between the flat 272 and the top face of the disk 21. The pulling bar 27 includes a stub 273 centrally extending from the flat 272 and extending through the through hole 25 in the disk 21. A spring 28 is compressively sleeved on the stub 273 after the stub 273 extending through the through hole 25 in the disk 21 such that the pulling bar 27 normally closing the through hole 25 in the disk 21 when the pulling bar 27 is in a free condition. In addition, the enlarged head 271 has a through hole 274 defined therein and laterally extending therethrough. The through hole 274 is provided for piercing through a chain or a rope for user to easily pull the pulling bar 27 for releasing the water pressure and detaching the stopper 20 for draining water when the trough is filled with water.

With reference to FIG. 1, the stopper 20 loads the pressure from the water in the trough when the trough is filled with water. Further with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the pulling bar 27 is firstly upwardly pulled when the user want to drain the water in the trough. At this time, the through hole 25 in the disk 21 is opened and the water in the trough is drained sequentially passing the through hole 25 in the disk 21, the passage 231 and the through hole 11 in the bottom of the strainer 10. Consequently, the user can easily detach the stopper 20 from the strainer 10 without contending the pressure from the water in the trough.

As described above, the sink straining assembly in accordance with the present invention includes several advantages as follow.

1. The radial partitions 24 support the disk 21 for balancing the pressure on the disk 24 to prevent the disk 24 from being transformed and provide a good sealant effect between the stopper 20 and the strainer 10.

2. The user can previously pull the pulling bar 27 up for releasing the water pressure in the stopper 20 before draining the water in the trough. Consequently, the user only needs to contend with the resistance from the water in the trough without contending with the water pressure.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A sink straining assembly comprising: a strainer adapted to be disposed in a drain outlet of a trough and having multiple through holes defined in a bottom of the strainer, an annular rib horizontally and inwardly extending from an inner periphery of the strainer; and a stopper selectively inserted into the strainer for closing the strainer and storing water in the trough, the stopper having a disk formed with a periphery abutting against an inner periphery of the strainer, a plurality of partitions integrally disposed under a lower part of the disk for abutting the bottom of the strainer, the at least three partitions being radially arranged relative to the disk, a through hole centrally defined in the disk and a pulling bar extending through the through hole in the disk for selectively closing the through hole in the disk, the pulling bar having an enlarged head formed with a flat for selectively closing the through hole in the disk, a stub vertically extending from the flat through the through hole in the disk, a spring compressively sleeved on the stub after the stub extending through the through hole in the disk such that the pulling bar normally closing the through hole in the disk when the pulling bar is in a free condition.
 2. The sink straining assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the disk includes multiple concentric annular grooves defined in a top face of the disk relative to the through hole in the disk, the enlarged head having a diameter greater than that of all the concentric annular grooves, the concentric annular grooves provided to enhance the airtight effect between the flat and the top face of the disk.
 3. The sink straining assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enlarged head has a through hole laterally defined therein for piercing through a pulling structure for user to easily pull up the pulling bar.
 4. The sink straining assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the enlarged head has a through hole laterally defined therein for piercing through a pulling structure for user to easily pull up the pulling bar.
 5. The sink straining assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stopper has an annular flange horizontally and outwardly extending from the disk, the annular flange being flexible and having a thickness smaller than that of the disk, the annular flange abutting against the inner periphery of the strainer and engaged the upper edge of the annular rib for providing an airtight effect between the stopper and the strainer when the stopper is mounted to the strainer.
 6. The sink straining assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the disk has a cylinder downward and centrally extending from a lower part of disk, the cylinder having at least one passage defined therein and communicating with the through holes in the bottom of the strainer, and outer periphery of the cylinder integrally connected to an inner end of each of the at least three partitions.
 7. The sink straining assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the strainer is cylindrical and slightly tapered relative to the bottom thereof.
 8. The sink straining assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the cylinder has at least one passage defined therein and communicating with the through holes in the bottom of the strainer. 